International Symposium ‘Best Practices on Access to Environmental Information’, Berlin, December 3 2018

The Independent Institute for Environmental Issues, UfU e.V., had the pleasure to invite highly ranked scholars from different jurisdictions and members of national and international authorities to an exchange on ‘Best Practices on Access to Environmental Information’ in Berlin, the 3^rd of December 2018.

This international Symposium was carried out on behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Energy. It is integrated into a broader interdisciplinary evaluation process of the German Access to Environmental Information Act.

Non-judicial mechanisms, such as mediation processes or the role of advisory bodies, as well as the practice of private bodies and their obligation to provide access to environmental information ranged among the discussed topics.

A documentation of the Symposium and the presentations is provided below.

 

COURSE OF THE SYMPOSIUM: ‘Best Practices on Access to Environmental Information’

3 December 2018, Haus der Demokratie und Menschenrechte, Greifswalder Str. 4, 10405 Berlin

Facilitation:  Prof. Dr. Thomas Schomerus, Leuphana University Lüneburg; Karl Stracke, UfU

10:00 a.m.           Welcoming Speeches

Dr. Nadja Salzborn, Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and Dr. Michael Zschiesche, Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU e.V.)

Panel 1 : Evaluation of National AtEI Acts 

10:20 a.m.           Evaluation of the Dutch AtEI Act (2009) and its Impacts on the Practice of Access to Environmental Information

Marte van der Loop, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations
presentation slides

10:50 a.m.           Evaluation of the Croatian AtEI Act (2018)

Željka Leljak Gracin , Zelena Akcija
presentation slides

11:20 a.m.           Evaluation of the German AtEI Act: Main Challenges in the German Administrative Practice

Karl Stracke, Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU e.V.)
presentation slides

Dr. Kerstin Tews, Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU), Free University of Berlin (GER)
presenation slides

12:00 a.m.           Light lunch at the conference venue

01:00 p.m.           Main Challenges in the German Legal Practice

Prof. Dr. Thomas Schomerus, Leuphana University Lüneburg
presentation slides

Panel 2: International Best Practices of Parties to the Aarhus Convention (AC)

01:30 p.m.           Overview on Best Practices on AtEI on the European Level

Daniele Franzone, Senior Expert, EU-Commission Directorate General Environment
presentation slides

02:00 p.m.           Key Trends in the Implementation of the Access to Information Pillar of the Aarhus Convention

Maryna Yanush, Environmental Affairs Officer, Aarhus Convention Secretariat,  UNECE
presentation slides

02:30 p.m.           Coffee break

Panel 3: Best Practices of Parties to the AC for Selected Topics

03:00 p.m.           Topic: Mediation, Non-judicial Procedures

Input “Switzerland”

Elena Trigo, Lawyer, Federal Environment Agency, Switzerland

03:30 p.m.           Topic: The Role of the “Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (OCEI)

Input “Ireland“

Melanie Campbell, Investigator, Offices of the Information Commissioner/Commissioner for Environmental Information
presentation slides

04:00 p.m.           Topic: Access to Information from Private Bodies under the UK Environmental Information Regulations

Input “United Kingdom“

Robert McCracken, QC, Barrister, Fellow of the Centre for European Law, King’s College London
Paper McCracken

Panel 4: Final Discussion and Further Best Practices in Parties to the AC

04:30 p.m.           Open Discussion

Amongst others: Valerie Hope, Defra, UK
presentation slides

05:15 p.m.           Closing Speech/Remarks

Matthias Sauer, Federal Ministry of Environment

05:30 p.m.          End